


Respite

by DarlingGypsum



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: AU (depending on how episode 84 shakes out), Declarations Of Love, F/M, Flirting, Gift Giving, Headcanon, Naked Cuddling, Perc'ahlia Festival of Happiness, Relationship(s), Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sharing a Bed, clothing optional, episode 83 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 09:59:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9542672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarlingGypsum/pseuds/DarlingGypsum
Summary: The world has gone quiet, as Vex and Percy discuss what lies ahead. Incidentally, Percy’s commission from the Whitestone jeweler is finished...Enjoy some unabashedly fluffy, sexy perc’ahlia. I am a sucker for quiet, intimate, romantic character pieces. (Takes place after the events of episode 83, written before ep 84 aired.)





	

Percival’s words were muffled against the feather down pillow. "Just to the left, like that," he grunted. "Yes, there. Well, no. Up? Actually, a little to the right and down."

"You know that’s everywhere, darling." Vex pressed harder into the curves of his back, her fingers giving off a dull glow as she idly healed any remaining cuts and bruises. "Does it really hurt that much? I could get down…"

His hand reached back and latched onto her bare thigh, keeping her from climbing off him. "No, you’re fine," he mumbled. "You’re perfect. Just phantom pains, I think."

Vex’s chest tightened. The aftermath of their battle still haunted her: the sight of Percy’s ruined body, lying prone in filth and gore. Raishan had been felled. An ancient dragon reduced to a mindless beast, her spells and intellect ripped from her mind before her final death throws. But in that dark crypt, she had managed to take her final bloody vengeance out on Percival.

Somewhere at her core, Vex was grateful to have not seen the killing blows. They could only have been savage, and awful. But whispers in the back of her mind insisted that if she’d been faster, if she’d been smarter, perhaps she could have done more. Driven Raishan off, distracted her. Spared Percy the experience of another gruesome death. Spared herself the agony of losing him again, even for a moment.

Vex blinked away those ugly, useless thoughts. She aimlessly brushed her palms across his skin. He was scarred and aching, but wonderfully whole. The dragons were gone, she reminded herself. Her friends — her family — were all still alive, thank Pike. And for the moment, no Great Evil threatened to destroy the world. Since arriving back in Whitestone, the fire and panic in her chest had begun to merely smolder, settling in her gut. There was little to do now but wait for the next catastrophe to fall into their laps.

Gingerly, she climbed off Percy’s back and lay down beside him, earning herself a petulant rumble from his side of the bed. With a grin, she playfully traced his ear. "Your sister seems very keen to keep you in Whitestone for the foreseeable future."

It still felt strange imagining Percival running a kingdom. She always imagined him forever cloistered in his workshop or trudging along on adventures at her side. But Whitestone was safe, for now. It was civilization. He’d be protected here by walls and soldiers. He was less likely to die in a heap in the wilderness if he stayed here. And Vex desperately needed him alive.

Vex stretched herself out and sank into the lush bedsheets. "To be honest, I'm inclined to let her."

Percy peeked out from the pillow with a half-hearted glare. It quickly softened, though, and he threw an arm across Vex’s middle. Pressing a kiss into the crook of her neck. "I go where you go," he murmured.

With a hand to her collarbone, she sighed dramatically. "Well, I suppose I do have a baron...essy to manage. And _far_ more gold than I could ever know what to do with."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Percy teased.

"I had, actually." Vex dropped his gaze to fidget with the sheets. "It might be rather nice to have a home again. A proper home."

"Do you not feel at home here?"

"Of course I do darling, but I can’t squat in your family castle forever. I’m imposing."

"You _are_ my family," Percy corrected. "You’re more than welcome to impose."

"Yes, well…" She barely held back a grin. "Regardless. As ‘Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone’, seems to me there should actually _be_ a Third House, don’t you think?"

Percy’s hand had begun to casually explore her bare skin. "Sound logic, Lady Vex’ahlia." He leaned in to nestle his face against her shoulder.

She shivered, breaking out into goosebumps at his touch. Her fingers found their way to his scalp and began to fuss with his hair. "Feels so strange, making plans, no ancient dragons looming on the horizon."

"Ah. Speaking of…" Percy propped himself up on an elbow. "I have a gift for you."

She mirrored his pose, and gently chewed on a smirk. "I don’t believe we’ve laid down the ground rules for weapons in bed yet, darling."

The pale De Rolo complexion was doing him no favors. "Something a little more conventional, I’m afraid," he managed out, fighting the heat on his face. "Well...conventional for us." He nodded towards the chest of drawers across the room.

"What? Over there?" Vex asked, flashing an innocent smile.

Percy was buying absolutely none of it. "I am giving you permission to open it, you snoop."

"I have no idea what you’re talking about, dear." With a wild grin, Vex scurried off the bed and went straight for the second drawer on the left. “Do you mean this?” She brandished a small leather case at him.

With only his wry smile for a response, Vex took her queue to unthread the ties on the gift. She peeled it open and withdrew a twisted leather braid, dyed to match the sinewy vines wrapped around Fenthras. Small green beads of residuum glass were knotted into the strap every few inches. Hanging from the necklace was the familiar shape of a dragon’s tooth. Her trophy from Vorugal, The Frigid Doom, had been sanded down and polished to a manageable size, just larger than her palm.

Vex’s hand found her lips as she read the Elvish script etched onto the fang’s surface:

_Forgive. Never forget._

" _Percival_ ," she breathed.

“You approve, I take it?”

Vex made a running leap back onto the bed, kneeling over Percy and planting an eager kiss on him. “It's absolutely _ferocious_. I adore it.” She spun around on the mattress and draped her hair over one shoulder, exposing her neck. Catching the hint, Percy sat up behind her and tied the necklace. She delicately traced the edges of the dragon tooth, mesmerized. “Thank you, love. It's wonderful.”

"Actually, it’s part of a set," Percy ventured.

Vex’s eyes lit up. "There’s more?"

“Ah, so you only snoop through _some_ of my things.” Percy barely managed to dodge a thrown pillow as he crawled to the edge of the bed, clinging to the mattress. "Back in a moment.” He strained down for his coat, discarded somewhere on the floor.

"No, please, take your time," she purred. "I’m enjoying the view."

He let out a chuff and nudged her with his bare foot. "There we are." He hauled himself back up with a groan. Settling on his knees, he held out two clasped fists in front of her, waiting.

Vex raised a brow at him, but happily played along. After considering her options with care, she tapped the back of his left hand.

Percy opened it to reveal a fine silver ring. The band was dotted with pale, delicate inlays: elegant little diamonds, flecks of whitestone, and the gleam of polished dragon bone.

For a long while, Vex just stared. Any words and all the air had caught at the back of her throat. "Percy," she managed out, "is that..."

“Something you treasure,” he smirked, “Something I treasure, and a treasure from the daring we’ve accomplished together.” He studied her expression as it flitted between shock, confusion, and an all-out grin.

Out of some panicked curiosity, Vex quickly tapped his right hand, still clasped.

Obediently, he held it out to her. An identical silver ring. “It’s overstated and expensive and will make everyone stare. You didn’t think I’d want one, too?”

A noise bubbled out of her that couldn’t quite decide if it was a laugh or a sob.

It seemed to embolden him, though his voice went soft. “You’re right, you know. No more dragons, no cataclysm, as of yet. All the more reason to take stock of what we want in this life and hold onto it as tight as we can.” His hands were trembling as he offered the first ring she’d picked. “Vex'ahlia, would you allow me the terribly undeserved honor of being your husband?"

He barely had time for a breath before Vex grabbed his face and just mugged down on him.

Hands still gripping both rings, Percy braced her shoulders and came up for a gasp of air. **"** That's very encouraging, dear, but I'm afraid there's a bit of a verbal contract needed-"

"YES," she laughed against his mouth. "Yes. Of course, yes."

Climbing off him again, Vex wiped away tears through her trembling laughter. “Did my brother put you up to this? Pressure you to make an ‘honest woman’ out of me?”

“Now why would I ever want to do that?” Percy gently took her hand and slipped on the ring. “I love you.”

"Madly, if I recall,” she said.

“Is there any other way?”

Vex spent a respectable amount of time ogling the ring. Turning and studying it as if her life’s mission was to memorize every detail. “It’s gorgeous, darling. And it fits perfectly. I’m shocked.”

“Of course it does. I have everyone's vital measurements. One can never be too prepared.”

A bright laugh escaped Vex at that. She reached for Percy’s other clenched hand. “Give it here, you fool.” Snatching up her ring’s twin, she gently slid it onto his finger. She grasped the back of his hand and pressed lingering kisses to it. Soon, her mouth began to travel up his arm, to his chest, to his throat, and finally to his cheek. “You’re ridiculous and I love you.”

Vex threw her arms around Percival’s neck and shoved them both to the bed, grinning and tangled up in each other in thrumming silence.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yup, this turned into a proposal fic. I regret nothing! Hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, let me know! Comments and kudos are appreciated!


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